Magnetic tape controlled punch



Sept. 2, 1952 R. 1. ROTH 2,609,050

' MAGNETIC TAPE CONTROLLED PUNCH Filed Dec. 6, 1947 9 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG] v I I234'567890AB 0 d If] 1 1 a 2 2 a o o o o o o o o o o o o B 3 3 53:23: W 4 5 as 5 9 $2342 9 H [3 5 I7 I9 21 INVENTOR.

Ross/v7" I For D O O O O O O 0 O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O N x B D m m c m 0 z 2 4 x 1 x Q m m a 0 9 Sheets-Sheet 2 mo. QLu

R. l. ROTH MAGNETIC TAPE CONTROLLED PUNCH INVENTOR. H- Haas/27' 1. Ram BY flo/flgva ITTOR/VEV Sept. 2,

Filed Dec. 6, 1947 oooooooooooooo M Sept. 2, 1952 R. 1. ROTH 2,609,050

MAGNETIC TAPE CONTROLLED PUNCH Filed Dec. 6, 1947 9 Sheet s-Sheet 5 FIG.4

INVEN TOR. Rosa/27 Z R07 BY flaw/Qua,

Sept. 2, 1952 ROTH 2,609,050

MAGNETIC TAPE CONTROLLED PUNCH Filed Dec. 6, 1947 9 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVEN TOR. Roam? I R07 p 2, 1952 R. l. ROTH 2,609,050

MAGNETIC TAPE CONTROLLED PUNCH Filed Dec. 6, 1947 9 Sheets-Sheet 5 FlG.7a

T/PPE FEED C1076 M05 imam 5 303 R. ROBE/2T I F077! Eva/j g Sept. 2, 1952 R. I. ROTH MAGNETIC TAPE CONTROLLED PUNCH 9 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed Dec. 6. 1947 I I l I I I l I l I I I I I I I l I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I L 30/! J FIG.7b

Sept. 2, 1952 R. 1. ROTH MAGNETIC TAPE CONTROLLED PUNCH 9 Sheets-Sheet 7 Filed Dec. 6, 1947 v l c /77c [Bi IL?) l I (2070/ M6? Val Sept. 2, 1952 R 1, ROTH 2,609,050

MAGNETIC TAPE CONTROLLED PUNCH Filed Dec. 6, 1947 I 9 Sheets-Sheet 8 Sept. 2, 1952 O 2,609,050

MAGNETIC TAPE CONTROLLED PUNCH 0 7 Filed Dec. 6, 194'? 9 Sheets-Sheet 9 Patented Sept. 2, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MAGNETIC TAPE CONTROLLED PUNCH Robert I. Roth, Mount Pleasant, N. Y., assignor to International Business Machines Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application December 6, 1947, Serial No. 790,059

Claims. I 1

This invention pertains to a device for sensing control records of the magnetic-spot type disclosed in my Patent No. 2,436,829 granted March 2, 1948.

An object of the invention is to provide means for sensing a moving magnetic-spot record, and for transferring the sensed information to record cards by punching said cards.

Another object is to convert multi-position coded information in the form of combinational code spots disposed transversely on a magneticspot tape record into the differential Hollerith code.

Another object is to convert combinational multi-position coded information from a magnetic-spot tape record into standard IBM code and to then punch tabulating cards according to the converted code.

A further object of the invention is the provision of means for sensing a multi-position bipolar magnetic web having sets of transversely aligned combinational bipolar magnetic spots thereon and for discriminating such bipolar magnetic spots.

It is a further object of the invention to provide in a magnetic spot tape sensing means wherein the magnetic spots of a record tape are read while the tape is in motion, means for advancing such tape through a sensing station in combination with means responsive to certain magnetic control spots on the tape being sensed for rendering the tape advancing means inactive.

Further and other objects and advantages will be apparent from the specification and claims, and from the accompanying drawings which illustrate what is now considered the preferred embodiment of the invention.

In the drawings: v

Fig. 1 is a portion of a record tape indicating numerals and letters according to a 4-position code. Each spot is a bar magnet represented by an arrow, those pointing to the left being positive and the others negative. Holes for the teeth of a drive sprocket are shown along the center of the tape;

. Flgs 'la, 7b, 7c and 7d taken together form a wiring diagram-of the invention;

with which the sensing device herein may be p Fig. 8 is a view of the left half of Fig. 2 of Lake Reissue Patent No. 21,133;

Fig. 9 is a view of the right half of Lake Reissue Patent No. 21,133, with additions pertaining to the present invention; p I

Fig. 10 is a portion of a magnetic spot record tape which when taken together with the tape portion of Fig. 1 will illustrate the entire code rendered operative; and

Fig. 11 is a diagram showing the relation of Figs. 7a, 7b, 7c and 7d. 7

For sensing the magnetic-spot record four sensing coils are provided, one for each code position a, b, c, and d and provisions are made for distinguishing between the positive and negative impulses, for converting the combination code found on the tape into the differential 12- position code used on the IBM tabulating cards, and for setting up relays to store that converted information until needed for the card punching operation. I

For simplicity, only five columns of. storage relays are shown in the drawings.

Referring to Figs. 3, 4 and 5 the tape sensing unit is mounted on a base I00 between two plates IOI and I02. These plates are spaced from each other and held in rigid alignment by the four tie bars I03.

A motor I04 mounted on base I00 drives a pulley I05 which is free to rotate on shaft I06. This pulley has a hub I0'I in the rim of which is a notch I08. As viewed in Fig. 4 the hub and notch rotate in a counter-clockwise direction. Fast on shaft I06 is an arm I09 on which is mounted a dog IIO urged towards hub I01 by spring IIOA. Arm I09 and dog IIO are shown in a position in which they are held out ofengagement with hub I01 by the latch lever III and a keeper II2 both of which are pivoted on stud H3 and urged into cooperation with the dog IIO by spring I I4. An armature II5 mounted on lever I I I is attracted by magnets I I6 whenever the magnets are energized, thus causing lever III and keeper ill to be swung outof engagement with arm I09 and dog IIO which later will engage notch I08 in the constantly rotating hub I01 and cause shaft I06 to rotate counterclockwise as viewed in Fig. 4.

A pinion III on shaft I06 engages gear II8 on shaft H9. The gear ratio is 421. Gear I I8 has four pins I20 projecting from its face to engage the radial slots in disc I2I on shaft I22. Onequarter revolution of gear II8 willcause" a onequarter revolution of shaft I22 and the motion will be similar to a Geneva motion. A gear I23 on shaft I22 drives gear I24 on shaft I25 on which is mounted tape feed sprocket I30.

In operation, tape is fed from supply spool I25, over the idler pulley I21, over the sensing coils I28 supported in bracket I29, around feed sprocket I30, underguide .I3I supported by .a .manually removable backing plate restingonthe tape,'and is wound on spool I32 which is driven by a belt I32a, as shown in Fig. 3. It is assumed that the tape as magnetically recorded on the recording machine has been rewound so that: thei'first items recorded will be the first ones sensed. The Geneva form of drive is used 'sothat the :tape speed will be high at the instant-ofsensinga .recording, and also to allow time 'for the feed mechanism to be latched up because itis-sometimes necessary for it to be latched upbetween sensing of recordings on.the tape. The tape feed means is responsive to certain magnetic control '"spots 'on the" Web being sensed for rendering inactive the web advancing-means. The-gear ratio between shafts I22 "and' 'I2'5 issuch that-onequarter revolution ofshaft -l22 will-advance the tape one position, orone-quarterof aninch. ""Cams -I-33"and 13-4 on shaft'I-Bfi operate-conta'cts I'35-"and "liifirespectively (see Figs. 3 and 6 -'and timing "chart at bottom of Fig. 7d) ,thefunc tions of which will be "explained in "connection with the wiring diagram.

The card punch is essentially the punching unit of the high speed I-BMreproducer'shown in Lake "Reissue Patent No. 21.133, and illustrated iri'Figs. 8-an'd9herewith. "shaft lt and-gearing "#Ii carries the cam contacts P-I, P-2,"P-3, 'P-4, :5, circuit breaker I 84,-'and"emitter 485 (Fig. "'70) which functionas will be explained-in con- "nectionwith the wiring diagram.

'The punches are arranged 'in a single line r'acrossthe length of the record card so "thatonly 12 steps of movement are needed to'completely punch a'card. Referring nowto the wiring diagramsthefour sens'ing'coils I28 -(oneforeach tape position-a, b, -;c,'d) are shown on Fig. 7d. Each 'sens'ing'c'oilis *c'onnectedto the'primaryof a transformer I50. There are two secondaries on each transformer I50, each secondary being connected; as'shown, "to'anamplifier I I 'The amplifiers I5 l',tof' which there are eightf'are blasednear'cut-off; andiconnections tothe input of'these amplifiersare'made in such' a' manner "that, for example, the .A-i-

amplifier responds only to a positive impulse and "the ':A "amplifier responds ;only' :toa negative *impulse. "Eachamplifierthas a relay in itsout- "put'circuit and these relays are lettered to agree mm a particular amplifier as A+,A-, SB-{- etc. "Each relay'has :a pickup coil and a holding coil.

'The'ihol'dinggpoints for these relays arein'dicated as Aj-Fh,.A"h,retc. Assuming'that'the-A-I- relay hasbeen picked up, .its holding circuit will 'be "through its holding coil, A-i-h contact and the "l35contacts which are-also shown-in Figs. 3 and "6. 'The purpose of these relays is to change the "combinational code "on the tapetothe differential Holl'erithico'deused in IBM' tabulating'inac'hines. This'change-over is done 'byth'econtacts atthe bottom of Fig. 7d.

Since information is read from the tape one "character'at a time, 'an'dthepunch is of atype fthat punhes all of 'the desired columns on the tabulating card simultaneously, it is necessary to aprovide astora'ge device intermediate thetape :rsensing device and the card punch. This is done by banks of 12 relays each, as shown on Fig. 71).

"binations'iof Lthe-A+ to .D-.. relays will be picked up and held. For instance, in the case' of a 3, the A+ and B+ relayswill be energized. Upon "closure of cam contact I36 (Figs. 3, 6 and 7d) a .circuitfwill 'beicompleted through A+ relay point,

top B+ transfer point, line I52, 35H points, No.

"f3.-relay.1'pick=up .coil enclosed in storage relay 115 I53 7b), line 1-54, and the stepping relay advance magnet (Fig. 7a) to the other side of the .line.

TheNo. 3 relay enclosed in the broken lines l5'3will close its a and 1) points.

The a points provide a holding circuit, and

-the "-b holding i points control a punch -magnet duringpunching as will be explained later. The

vances its contact arm upon de-energization of the advance imagnet. Thus, when cam "contact I36 breaks, the contact armof the stepping'relay relays enclosed by broken lines I55 will be in the circuit. Thusfithe next character sensed from the tape will go into the 1 storage 'relays-enclosed by lines 55.

itacts 3 I] I" 'd to 1 inclusive, are shown enclosed bythe b'rokeri' lines P53 (Fig. 7b) The-contacts "of relay 332 are-enclosed by the "broken lines I 55 (Fig. 7b) etc. Thus in each position of-the relay arm one or these relays is"energized-'tocomplete n circuits to its associated "bank *of storage" relays "The wiring shown on Fig. 7c is contained in 'the *card punch unit "The terminals at the left of Fig. 7c are, in operation, connected by cables to corresponding 'termin'alsat the 'right side of 'Fig. 7a.

R lerring-1rioW to Fig. 7c; "the closure of line switch liillstartsthe motor "I61. Placing cards in'the-pun'ch magazine closes "the magazine'card lever-contact 1'52 thus energizing'relay' ['63. Q The 'IB3aan'd- "I'63b points wi1l now be closedas ilong "asthereare cards in the -maga'zine.

Referring now to Fig. 7a., depression of the start 'key I65 will energize relay I66. It =is-assumed that the line'-switch' 2 I 0 iscIOse'd-"and that the motor 154 is running. Relay I66 will'now hold through the 'Ififiapoints, the stop key contacts 202 and the -I"53b"p'oints (see'Fig- '7'c). The closure of the I661) points willcausethe-energize.- 'tion of the tape "feedclutch magnet Flt; through the"no'rmally closed IS-7c points and the 20 11) 'pointsnow closed. Relay-2M (Fig. 7a) is'energized through the contacts "200 which are mountedonthe stepping relay. These-contacts are held closed by an insulated-portion on the arm of the stepping relay when it is in-its home position. Relay 200 is also maintainedenergized by its "20Iapoints and'the a points (Fig.fl'c).

The purpose of the contacts 200 andthere'la'y 21H is to'prevent the'tape feed clutch magnet from becomingenergizedbeforethestepping relay arm has returnedto its homem'osition.

The tape wilrn'o'w "feed through the sensing unit and the 'first recording on the tape will be sensed. Assuniingthatsri E is th'e -"first-char- [through cam contact I35.

-5 'acter recorded on thetape the following will itakeplace." -An fE iscoded as the combination a-+, b aridcH-y Accordingly, when this combination is sensed, the A+, B'' and D+ relays shown on Fig. 711 will be energized and held When cam contact I36 closes, two parallel circuits will be completed as follows. The first will extend from cam contact I36 through the now closed point of the A+ relay, through the nontransferred point of the 3+ relay, through the now transferred upper point of the B relay to the line I18 which extends to the pickup coil of the #5 relay enclosed side of the line. In this manner, the code combination of a+band 01+ is changed into the differential Hollerith code.

When cam contact I36 opens (Fig. 7d) the advance magnet of the stepping relay (Fig. 7a) is de-energized and its contact arm moves under spring action to thenext position. Thus the next character sensed from the tape willbe stored in the relay bank enclosed by the dotted lines I55.

If it be assumed now that the third character recorded on the tape is a space the following circuit will be established. A space is coded as (H- and c. Accordingly, the A+ and C'- relays on Fig.' 7d will be energized. The circuit "will extend through cam contact I36, closed point of the A+ relay, now transferred points of the 13+ and B- relays, through the now transferred upper point of the C- relay, line I12, through the advance magnet of the stepping relay to thejother side of the line. When cam contact I36 opens, the advance magnet of the stepping relay will move to its next position thus skipping over the relay bank enclosed by dotted linesl13.

Let it be assumed now that the next recording on the tape is the punch signal which is coded as 17+ and c. Such punch signals are placed at variably spaced positions on the tape as may be required by the nature of the text material encoded thereon. Accordingly, when cam contact I36 makes after sensing this combination a circuit will extend from cam contact I36 through the now closed lower point of the 13+ relay through the now transferred point of the C- relay, up the line I14, through relay coil I61 to the other side of the line. Relay I61 holds up through its a points and the HM points on Fig. 7c.

The opening of the I610 points will interrupt the circuit to the tape feed clutch magnet II6 thus causing the tape sensing unit to be latched up just after the punch signal is sensed. The I61b points complete a circuit as follows through the card feed clutch magnet 322 (Figs. 1c and 8) Line I16 relay points 163a, relay points I110, card feed clutch magnet, line I18, cable connection to line I19, relay points I61b, line I88, cable connection to line I8I which extends to the other side of the line I82.

Energization of the card feed clutch magnet will cause picker knife 324 (Fig. 9) and feed rolls 326 to operate and in the first cycle the bottom card in the magazine is fed up to the die 328,

closing the die card lever contact 329 (Fig. 70). As the card feed clutch is still energized at the end of this cycle, the machine takes another cycle in which the first card is fed past'the punches 330 and the second card is fed up to the die. When P-Z makes at the beginning of the second cycle, relay I83 is energized and it holds through its a points and P-5. The I83c points (bottom Fig 7c) are now closed and are effective to complete circuits from line I82, through the circuit breaker contacts I84, relay points I830, emitter brush I85, emitter segments I86, lines I81, cable connections to lines I88, 12 points of storage relays enclosed by dotted lines I53, I55, etc. on Fig. '11), lines I89, cable connections to lines I98 (Fig. 7c), plug connections to punch magnets I9I, line I92 to line I16. In this manner, the values set up in the storage relays are punched into the card (Fig. 3), the holes being rectangular, instead of round as in Lake Reissue No. 21,133. The chart at the bottom of Fig. 7c shows the timing of punching operations.

During this punching cycle cam contacts P-3 close and relay I11 is picked up through the I83b contacts. Relay I11 than holds through its a points and 19-4. The opening of the [He points interrupts the circuit to thecard feed clutch magnet 322 thus causing the punching unit to be latched up at the end of the cycle. The N11) points establish a circuit which is completed near the end of the cycle when P-I makes, picking up relay l'l5. The opening of the HM points drops out all the storage relays shown on Fig. 7b and also drops out relays I61 and MI. Dropping out relay 213i causes the 28 Ia points and the 28Ib points to open and causes the 2810 points to close. The 28Ic points provide a circuit to energize the release magnet of the stepping relay until contacts 288 close at which time relay 28I is energized, opening the 28I'c points and thus de-energizing the release magnet. Relay 2I1I now holds through its 28Ia points and the N541 points (Fig. 7c), and the closing of the 28 lb points allows the energization of the tape feed clutch magnet II6 (Fig. 7a) through the I610 points which also close when relay I61 isde-energized. The I61b points open the circuit to the card feed clutch magnet 322, or rather prevent it from being made again when the [110 points close due to cam contacts P-Al dropping out relay I11. Feeding and sensing of tape is then resumed as before explained.

When all the characters on the tape have been sensed, the tape feeding mechanism can be stopped by depressing the stop key 282 (Fig. 7a) thus dropping out relay I66 and de-energizing the tape feed clutch magnet I I6. Punched cards remaining in the feed rolls of the punching unit can be run out into the stacker by depressing the auxiliary key 283 (Fig. '70).

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific embodiment herein illustrated and described but may be used in other ways without departure from its spirit as defined by the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A device for sensing while in motion a multiposition magnetic web having sets of transversely aligned combinational magnetic spots disposed thereon and each transverse set representative of an item of significant characters, comprising means to advance said web past a moving-web sensing station, a plurality of stationary sensing means fixed transversely of the path of said web at the sensing station and responsive to magnetic aeoaoeo .7 spots I? on "said web 'while 'said web :is in motion :through :said sensing station for simultaneously se'nsing a' 'respective set of sets :of successively :presented--transverse magnetic spots, means responsive to the sensing means -for' converting the sim'ultaneou'sly sensed combinational data into -data 're'presentative or" a single. position' code, means 'respon'sive -to certain magnetic control #:spots onx'a webbeing sensed for renderinglinac- .1 tive =said web -advancing means, and means-there- :afteroperative'to read 'saiddata from storage.

via-device: for sensing a multip'osition bipolar magnetic' Web having ise'ts: of transversely "aligned co'mbination'al bipolar magnetic spots disposed thereon and representative of significant char-,

acters, flcomprising means to advance T the :web epast aisensing station, and-a, plurality of sensing meanspositioned transversely of thepathof said Web at the sensing stationandresponsive to :the passage or the r web thereby -for simultaneously sensing sets of successively presented bipolar magnetic spots.

' -3. 'A device for sensing a 'multipositionbipolar magnetic web having sets of transversely aligned combinational bipolar magnetic spots disposed thereon and representative of significant char- -'acters, comprising means to advance the web pasta :sensing station, a plurality of sensing 53 means positioned transversely of the path of the :web at the sensing 'station and responsive to the .;passage of said web thereby for simultaneously sensing 'sets of successively presented bipolar -magneti'c spots, and means responsive to said --'sensing means for selectively discriminating between'the responses of said means in accordance with the characteristics of said sensed bipolar 1 magnetic spots.

4. A device for sensing a'rnultiposition bipolar magnetic web having setsof transversely aligned combinational bipolar magnetic spots disposed thereon and representative of significant chara'c'ters,.comprisingmeans to advance the web past a'sensing station, "a plurality of sensing means positioned transversely of the path of the web at the sensing station and responsive to the passage of said web thereby forsimultaneously sensing #sets :of successively presented bipolar magnetic "spots, :means responsive to said --sensing means 7 for selectively discriminating between the 1 responses of said sensing means in-accordance with the. characteristics of said sensed ;-bipolar mag-- 25 -netic spots, and means having characteristics which enable it to be responsiveto said discrimi- V nating means to convert the -simultaneus1y senseddata into data representative of asingle position code. 1o 5. Adevice forsensingamultiposition bipolar magnetic webhavingsets of transversely-aligned combinational bipolar I magnetic spots =disposed thereon and representative of significant characters, comprising :means to advance the 1 web past -a -sensing-station, a plurality sot-sensing means 4 positioned -transversely of thelpath 0f said web at the sensing station and-responsiveto the-passage of the webthereby for simultaneously sensing respectively setsof successively: presented bipolar: magnetic/spots, means responsive to said sensing means forselectively discriminating between the responsesofsaidsensing means-inaccordance withtheeharacteristicsof said sensed bipolar magnetic spots, means having characteristics which enable it to bev responsive to said discriminating means to convert the simultaneously sensed-data into data representative ofv a 1 single flpositioncode, means for simultaneously storing the converted simultaneously sensed bipolar data, and-means responsive to's'ai'dconverted bipolardataforcontrolling apunch mechanism whereby the samemay beipunchedinto tabulatingcards.

, iRiOBERT-IKRO'IH.

REFERENCES CITED l The iollowing references are of :record in. :the file 1 of 'this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

